Police file case against Qandeel Baloch’s parents

on: January 27, 2017

MULTAN: Police on Thursday registered a case against the parents of the slain social media celebrity, Qandeel Baloch, for “deviating from their earlier statements against the elder brother of Qandeel in connection with her murder case”.

The FIR No 49/17 was lodged under section 213 of Pakistan Penal Code against Muhammad Azeem and Anwar Bibi on the complaint of Assistant Sub-Inspector Allah Ditta.

The FIR states that one of the nominated accused, Muhammad Aslam Shaheen (the elder brother of Qandeel Baloch), handed over an envelope to his parents while saying “your demand has been fulfilled and now record your statements in our favour in court”.

Subsequently, both parties were summoned in court where Qandeel’s parents submitted their contradictory affidavit in favour of Aslam which is a crime under section 213 of PPC, states the FIR.

Aslam had been nominated in the case under section 109 of PPC for abetment.

A police official said Qandeel’s parents recorded their statements in court on Jan 19 and a few days later, on Jan 25, they submitted their affidavit. He said they had deviated from their statement against their elder son Aslam and there’s likelihood that they would do so in the case of main accused Waseem, a younger brother of Qandeel, as well.

Qandeel Baloch was found dead in her rented house in Multan on July 16. Her father alleged that she was killed by Waseem at the behest of Aslam in the name of honour. Waseem fled the scene but later courted arrest and confessed (at a press conference) to killing his sister.

Police claimed that Waseem had also made a confession in the presence of an area magistrate but his counsel denied it.

The model was criticised by detractors who found her posts indecent, but fans praised her for daring to challenge social norms by appearing in videos that by Western standards would appear tame.

The alleged nature of the accomplices’ involvement was unclear.

Her murder reignited calls for action against so-called “honour killings”, in which a victim is killed by a close relative — who can subsequently be pardoned by another family member under Pakistan law.

In October parliament passed a law aimed at removing the ability to forgive “honour” killers. But critics contend some loopholes still exist. –Web Desk/Agencies